Bob Dylan, Live 1964: Concert at Philharmonic Hall (* * * * out of four) The times they were a-changing, and even Dylan's most ardent disciples were taken aback by his radical offerings at a historic Halloween night in New York. A radiant revolutionary, only 23 but already ditching his protest folkie career for greater challenges ahead, emerges on the sixth volume in Legacy's sterling series of authorized Dylan "bootlegs." The acoustic performance came three months before Dylan recorded the half-electric Bringing It All Back Home, and he previews his conversion with fearless glee, introducing Gates of Eden as "a sacrilegious lullaby in D minor," then assuring listeners afterward, "Don't let that scare you. ... I'm masquerading." The first set unveils a surreal Mr. Tambourine Man and the provocative It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding). The second, featuring four duets with Joan Baez, covers familiar turf that peaks with a powerful version of The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll. Dylan's delivery is sublime, and his witty banter reveals an intimate chemistry with the audience and a gift for sly showmanship. The 19-track disc beckons with sonic warmth and clarity, erasing fog and mud from long-circulating bootlegs. Casual fans as well as die-hards will prize this illuminating upgrade. —— Edna Gundersen

Modest Mouse, Good News for People Who Love Bad News (* * *) Modest Mouse avoids the cheese trap on its fourth album, shrewdly using melody and infectious hooks to wind through an arty maze of folky Americana, acid rock and alt-pop. There's a dark chill in some lyrics, but the Issaquah, Wash., band never loses its bounce, pounding funk and percolating dance rhythms into oddly endearing tunes about life's hardships. Mouse's sometimes-erratic jamming skills finally jell when the rambunctious Dirty Dozen Brass Band is invited to juice up This Devil's Workday. —Gundersen

Hayley Westenra, Pure (* *) Like Charlotte Church before her, Westenra is a cute teenage soprano being touted as a phenom by marketing execs and pop music critics who obviously haven't heard many gifted classical voice students. Certainly, this 16-year-old New Zealander's clear, pretty singing could land her a spot as soloist in any public high school choir. But even the ostentatiously glossy, crossover-friendly production enveloping her covers of composers from Ravel to Kate Bush can't obscure a lack of technical and interpretive maturity. Westenra would be better off, creatively and personally, if she continued to hone her tender talent rather than offer it as fodder for her ambitious elders in the media and music industry. But then, that's hardly an unusual predicament for today's young artists. —— Elysa Gardner

Country:

Allison Moorer, The Duel (* * *) Moorer turns her back on God after burying her lover on the title track of this Neil Young-influenced album. "Believe you me," she sings elsewhere, "I want to believe in you." That faith never comes, and her characters replace it with bitterness, chemicals and the meager hope of breaking even in life. By the time Moorer asks for a final lullaby as she lies dying on Sing Me to Sleep, a simple song seems like a feeble defense against the encroaching darkness. But it's all she's got. —— Brian Mansfield

Rap:

Dilated Peoples, Neighborhood Watch (* * * ½) This underground Los Angeles trio just keeps getting better. Even as Evidence, Rakaa and Babu make their boldest foray into the mainstream with soulful single This Way (with Kanye West), they stay true to the elements that have made them one of hip-hop's more thought-provoking outfits. Evidence and Rakaa's clever, politically and socially tinged wordplay flows easily on top of an array of pulsating beats and Babu's outstanding turntable work. Whether dealing with life's pressures, criticizing government policies, striving for self-improvement or dodging lecherous groupies, they do it with insight, imagination and a touch of humor. It makes Neighborhood Watch worth keeping an eye on. —— Steve Jones